The Great Franchisees: Alex and Alyssum Genthon, 360º Painting, Houston

After leading successful careers in sales and consulting, Alex and Alyssum Genthon have decided to change course, taking the leap into business ownership as two of the newest owners with 360º Painting, the 120-plus-territory home painting franchise backed by multi-brand franchisor Premium Service Brands.

For years, Alex worked in the oil and gas industry, working in management and consulting roles. Alyssum led a successful career in sales and even started her own online boutique business. But when COVID-19 struck, the married couple decided it was time to take on a new venture together.

The Genthons reached out to a franchise consultant, who helped them vet a number of brands. They were looking for a brand that would put them in touch with their community while also offering the flexibility to eventually step back from the day-to-day operations and focus their efforts on community service initiatives.

360° Painting proved the perfect match. We spoke to the Genthon’s to learn more about their journey to franchise ownership.

1851 Franchise: Tell us your story – what did you do before franchising?

Alex Genthon: I’ve lived in Montgomery County for 25 years. I moved here from Chicago when I was 15 and went to college in Austin at the University of Texas. I met Alyssum when I was 25 through a mutual friend. We both attended Woodlands High School, but never crossed paths there. I spent most of my career at oil and gas service companies and drilling operations. You could find me anywhere from working on a rig in the field to holding management and consulting roles, too. 

Alyssum Genthon: I went to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, but I grew up in Woodlands and went to middle school and high school there. I majored in acting in college, and that took me from New York to London and Italy. When I got back from traveling, I started working at The Gap and worked my way up to management. That’s how I got my start in sales. I went on to work in outside sales before I got married and took a bit of time off to raise my two sons. I began missing being around people and working, so I started working with direct sales companies. I grew tired of that career path and wanted to cut out the middleman and start my own business. I began selling clothes, jewelry and accessories online and grew my business through my Facebook page and word of mouth. When COVID-19 hit, we had logistical issues and decided we wanted to take on our next venture by starting something together.

1851: How did you initially find out about franchising? 

Alex: The oil and gas industry is pretty uncertain right now and it typically is that way. With everything that has been going on during 2020, I saw an ad for a franchise consultant, My Perfect Franchise. I started working with a representative and went through the process of looking at various models in various industries. The rest is history. 

1851: Why did you choose franchising over starting your own business?

Alyssum: Starting my own online boutique business forced me to do everything myself. From marketing to shipment processing, it was a ton of work. For us, the support franchisors provide is hands down the biggest advantage of going that route. Alex and I always knew we wanted to be entrepreneurs, and in this case, it was the right time and place.

1851: What types of brands did you look at?

Alex: We looked at brands in the home service industry. 

1851: Why did you choose 360° Painting? What excited you most about the potential?

Alex: We saw this as an opportunity to become more involved in our community and be a part of it more intimately. 360° Painting had more flexibility than some of the other brands we looked at which was also appealing. The brand doesn’t require a brick-and-mortar location, making the overhead a bit lower which is what we were looking for, too. Overall, painting services are an inherent necessity and will always be in demand.

Alyssum: What spoke to me the loudest is that I am a woman and I love to paint my home. Therefore, I am the customer. I can understand what people want and talk to them at their level. Growing up, I watched my parents start their own insurance company and watched them be entrepreneurs that were deeply involved in the community. I’m on the PTO board of my childrens’ school, Birnham Woods Elementary, and I am constantly looking for ways to give back to my community.

1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?

Alyssum: We’re always thinking of expansion. Our 3–5 year goal is to grow vertically and bring in more brands under our ownership. We’re so fortunate to have gotten this territory. For us, the sky's the limit.

Alex: We’d like to get to a point where we aren’t as involved in the day-to-day and can instead focus our attention on ways to become more involved with the community, like offering free painting services and adopting the Kids-Lift program. 

1851: What value do you see your business providing to Montgomery County?

Alex: We’re providing top-notch professional home services that aren’t typically available here.

1851: What advice would you have for others looking at buying a franchise?

Alex: Do your due diligence. Ask endless questions. Take notes. At the end of the day, you have to pull the trigger and don’t give into fear. Trust your judgement.

Alyssum: It’s important to find a business that you’re passionate about.

1851 Franchise: What do you do in your personal time?

Alyssum: I’m a CrossFit coach and Alex is a member at our gym, so fitness is huge for us. As I mentioned, we love getting involved in our community. We also enjoy supporting our two sons in their sporting events.

Alex: I also enjoy spending time outdoors kayaking and on our boat fishing.

ABOUT 360° PAINTING:

Charlottesville, VA-based 360° Painting is one of the nation’s fastest-growing residential and commercial painting franchises offering comprehensive and personalized painting services with an approach founded on quality, responsiveness and customer experience. Founded in 2005 by parent company Premium Service Brands, 360° Painting has received major industry recognition by Entrepreneur magazine’s 40th Annual Franchise 500 list as No. 1 in the painting category for three consecutive years. 360° Painting has also placed on Franchise Times’ Top 200 list, which recognizes brands for their growth over the past 18 months. Since franchising in 2006, the brand has grown to over 120 units nationwide with plans to award 30 more locations by the end of this year. For more information about franchising opportunities with 360° Painting, please visit: https://www.premiumservicebrands.com/360-painting/